Driving Safety Course

Driving Safety Course

Program Overview

If you are charged with a traffic offense, you may be eligible to ask the judge to take driving safety course to dismiss the charge. The request must be made on or before 15 days from the date the citation was issued. It must be made in person, by counsel, or by certified mail. (If you are under age 17, you must appear in open court with a parent or guardian to make the request.)

At the time of the request, you must do the following:

1) Plead guilty or no contest;
2) Pay court costs plus a $10 administrative fee ($109.00 or $131.00 if speeding in a school zone);
3) Present proof of financial responsibility (insurance); and
4) Present a valid Texas driver's license or permit. (Active military and spouses or dependent children of active
military
may present a valid driver's license from any state.)

To be eligible, you:

1) Cannot have taken a driving safety course or motorcycle operator's course for a traffic offense within the last 12
months from the date of the current offense;
2) Cannot currently be taking the course for another traffic violation;
3) Cannot be the holder of a commercial driver's license (CDL) or have held a CDL at the time of offense, whether
you were driving your personal car or a commercial vehicle (per Art. 45.051(f) and 45.051(s), Texas Code of
Criminal Procedure); and
4) Have not committed one of the following offenses:

Failure to Give Information at Accident Scene;

Leaving Scene of Accident;

Passing a School Bus;

An offense in a construction or maintenance work zone when workers are present;

Speeding 25 mph or more over limit; or

Speeding 95 mph or more.

The case will be deferred for 90 days.

During that time you must:

1) Complete a driving safety approved by the Texas Education Agency or a motorcycle operator's course approved
by the Department of Public Safety and present the completion certificate to the court;
2) Present a certified copy of your driving record from the Texas Department of Public Safety that shows that you
have not had a driving safety course within the preceding 12 months from the date of the current offense.

If you do not present the required documents on time, the court will notify you to return for a show cause hearing and explain or show cause why you failed to comply with a court order. The judge may, but is not required to, grant an extension to file the required papers. Your failure to be present at the show cause hearing will result in a conviction, a fine being assessed, and a capias pro fine for your arrest being issued.

To request the Driver's Safety Course, download the form by clicking here. Complete the form and return it with the required documents. Incomplete or unsworn requests will be returned back to you and delay the process.